NEW model BlackHawk Convertible 9mm / .357 mag

This is a discussion on NEW model BlackHawk Convertible 9mm / .357 mag within the Ruger Single Action forums, part of the Pistol & Revolver Forum category; This will be my very first Ruger SA revolver.
Any owners that can share their experiences with this SA revolver?
Pro’s and con’s or anything ...

Gunnie 12, I've had a 9mm/357 convertible (BN-34X) with a 4 5/8" barrel for quite a while. Accuracy with 38 Specials or 357 Mags is excellent but with the 9mm ammo .... not so stellar. The bore is .357" so when you shoot .355" (9mm) bullets, they kind of wobble down the barrel. I chronographed some 115 gr JHP 9mm loads in my Beretta 92FS then tested the same loads in the BH. The BH was about 300 fps slower ... likely because some of the pressure vents around the bullet instead of propelling it. 9mm ammo is OK for plinking but I would rather use 38 Specials and get good accuracy.

Hairtrigger, Your SRH has a .451" bore, just like all Rugers 45's handguns and all US made 45 cal handguns since 1950. About the only .454" bores you see are in older Colt SAAs or Italian replicas.

World War I created a large demand for handguns chambered for the .45 ACP service cartridge so S&W made the Mod 1917 chambered in 45 ACP with a .451" bore. In 1950, Smith & Wesson Introduced the 1950 Target (now called the Mod 25). It was chambered in both 45 Colt and 45 ACP, both with a bore diameter of .451". All other US manufacturers followed suit. Even SAAMI changed their bore standards from .454" to .451" for all 45 cal pistols and revolvers. The crazy thing is the chamber dimensions for a 45 Colt is still the same as it was back in 1873, despite the tighter bore.

I shoot .454" lead bullets in my 45 Colt guns but with .452" cylinder throats, those bullets get swaged down to .452" before they enter the forcing cone. I could just as easily shoot .452" lead bullets with the same results. You can't load 45 ACPs with .454" bullets because the chambers are too tight but you can chamber and shoot .452" lead bullets in a 45 ACP revolver or pistol.

For jacketed bullets, .451" has been the standard since 1950. Lead handgun bullets are available in diameter from .451" to .456", the latter being optimum for 1st generation Colt SAAs.

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm curious about something.
Is the cylinder for the 9mm basically just cut out for moon clips? I'm wondering because as long as the cylinder is long enough, I thought perhaps a 9mm cylinder could also fire 9x21 ammo, possibly 9x18 as plinking ammo, giving quite a variety of ammo for one gun . Or does the cylinder bore headspace on a 9x19 like a barrel?

Thanks Tom.
With the bore diameter issue mentioned by Iowegan, I guess the best way to get improved accuracy with a 9mm is to shoot non-jacketed bullets and hope they obturate enough to make a gas seal.

So far the best accuracy I have gotten with the 9mm cylinder is with elchepo CCI Blazer. I tend to buy the Blazer because it is cheap, I don't have to reload it, and I don't feel bad about tossing the cases.

So far the best accuracy I have gotten with the 9mm cylinder is with elchepo CCI Blazer.....

I found the same thing with mine.
I had a bunch of CCI Blazer that I got cheap years ago.
It shot as well as the .38 or .357 ammo.
Then I tried some lead bullet reloads...What a disaster!
I could get more hits throwing rocks at the target.
I only added the 9mm cylinder in case I get a bunch of free ammo.
I don't shoot the caliber otherwise so it is no loss.

I wouldn't pay any extra for a 9mm cylinder.
The .45ACP cylinder is worth the extra cost.
My .45ACP cylinder shoots very well and it beats the snot out of digging brass out of the snow in the winter time.

.357's are notorious for leading. My BH sucks. I keep it only for sentimental reasons. It's self defense accurate, but neither I, nor any of my buddies who shoot even better than I do have been able to get a one hole group at 7 yards, regardless of loads, bullet type, etc..

For shooting, I really prefer my .45 Colts, they'll shoot one hole groups all day. As for the "all guns have .451 bores" comment, I dunno where that pile of wisdom came from, but my slugs and micrometer say different; as, many .452 and .454 bullets and sizers as there are out there, and selling all the time, it can't just be because of old SAA's.